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‘Best’ XI hint, Grav as the No.6 – 5 talking points from Liverpool 4-1 Sevilla

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Liverpool delivered an impressive pre-season win over Sevilla at Anfield on Sunday afternoon and there are plenty of talking points from the game.

Liverpool 4-1 Sevilla

Pre Season (4), Anfield
August 11, 2024

Goals: Jota 30′, Diaz 39, 45+1, Nyoni 68′; Peque 66′

Ipswich lineup hinted at

There’s now less than a week to go until Liverpool kick off their first Premier Leaguecampaign under Arne Slot. This Sevilla game at Anfield felt like the dress rehearsal ahead of the Reds’ visit to Ipswich on Saturday.

With that game being so close it would be fair to presume that the new Liverpool head coach picked what he perceives as his strongest starting XI at the moment and the one he is likely to pick in the club’s opening game.

This would mean Jarell Quansah being selected over Ibrahima Konate, and Ryan Gravenberch also coming into the side to play in the no.6 role.

Given Andy Robertson is not 100% fit either (although he will feature against Las Palmas later in the day), Kostas Tsimikas could also be expected to start Liverpool’s opening Premier League game.

A full 90 minutes for Jarell Quansah, Kostas Tsimikas, Dominik Szoboszlai, Mo Salah and Diogo Jota.

Gravenberch in the no.6 role

We still don’t quite know who will be Slot’s first choice no.6 at Liverpool in the long-term. Against Sevilla, it was Gravenberch who was trialled in the position and Dutchman will be pleased by his efforts.

He controlled the middle of the park, dropping deep to pick up the ball to help in the early phase of the build-up but also providing some defensive stability.

As per FotMob he completed 95% of his attempted passes, misplacing just three passes in total from 56.

It’s important to mention that while this was a good audition from the Dutch international but it does not negate the need for Liverpool to invest in a more natural holding midfielder.

Hopefully, there will be more positive news on that front next week.

New (old) role for Trent

During Jurgen Klopp‘s final season we grew accustomed to Trent Alexander-Arnoldinverting into the middle of the park.

But in these early glimpses of him under Slot, the Liverpool full-back was far more reserved. There were less instances of Alexander-Arnold inverting, with the no.66 keeping closer to the right flank instead.

We also saw more incisive and short passes from Alexander-Arnold, although there were still instances of him making his trademark long switches at the right moments.

It’s all about balance and in this instance it seems like Slot has found how to utilise the best of Alexander-Arnold’s skillset with the 25-year-old having a great game.

The emergence of the no.10?

Liverpool’s third goal of the match was yet another moment in which Slot’s advanced midfielder proved to be decisive.

During pre-season it’s been Harvey Elliottwho has been used in that role to great effect with the 21-year-old registering two assists in Liverpool’s tour to the USA.

This time around it was Dominik Szoboszlaiplaying in the advanced role and managed to get in behind Sevilla’s defence with a brilliant forward run as part of an ‘up back and through’ combination from Alisson‘s excellent pass out.

Breaking into the box and set-up by Mohamed Salah, just as it was against Real Betis, this time around Szoboszlai turned provider squaring the ball across to Luis Diaz.

The ideal Slot forward

 

Diogo Jota was at it again with a sublime finish for Liverpool’s opening goal of the game. Later, he would turn provider setting-up Luis Diaz for the Colombian’s first goal of the game.

It’s now two assists and one goal for Jota in three pre-season matches and a total of 200 minutes played.

Diogo Jota was at it again with a sublime finish for Liverpool’s opening goal of the game. Later, he would turn provider setting-up Luis Diaz for the Colombian’s first goal of the game.

It’s now two assists and one goal for Jota in three pre-season matches and a total of 200 minutes played.

He’s averaging a goal contribution every 66 minutes under Slot so far and while these are early days it does feel like he’s the more ideal forward in Slot’s system.

The Portuguese international will drop back, he will press the opposition and he will also heavily involve himself in the build-up, too.

It remains to be seen, but unless injury wreak further havoc on Jota’s Liverpool career – he could be set for a fruitful season ahead.

It’s pre-season, so nothing to go overboard on either way, but the early signs are certainly good and Slot’s style of play is certainly being delivered.

Business

Prices to fall as NNPC plans 12 more filling stations to sell N230 fuel.

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Prices to fall as NNPC plans 12 more filling stations to sell N230 fuel.
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NNPC (Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation) is planning to open 12 more filling stations to sell fuel at a lower price of N230 per liter. This move is expected to increase competition in the market and potentially lead to a decrease in fuel prices.

Ekwutosblog gathered that with these  more filling stations selling fuel at a lower price, consumers may benefit from:

1. Increased competition: More filling stations selling fuel at a lower price can encourage other marketers to reduce their prices.
2. Lower fuel prices: As more fuel is available at a lower price, the overall market price may decrease.
3. Improved accessibility: More filling stations can make fuel more accessible to consumers, especially in areas with limited options.

However, it’s essential to consider the following factors:

1. Sustainability: Will NNPC be able to maintain the lower price point, or is this a temporary measure?
2. Market dynamics: How will other marketers respond to NNPC’s move, and will they also reduce their prices?
3. Supply and demand: Will the increased supply of fuel at a lower price lead to increased demand, and how will this affect the market?

Keep an eye on the developments and see how the market responds to NNPC’s plans!

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Bitcoin soars past US$81,000 as Trump’s pro-crypto stance fuels buying spree

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Bitcoin reached a record high on Monday. Photo: Reuters
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The token climbed to an unprecedented US$81,497 early in the Asian day on Monday

Bitcoin rallied past US$81,000 for the first time, boosted by President-elect Donald Trump’s embrace of digital assets and the prospect of a Congress featuring pro-crypto lawmakers.

Trump’s decisive victory in the presidential election has prompted celebratory chest-thumping from the digital-asset industry, which spent over US$100 million backing a range of crypto-friendly candidates.

The largest token climbed as much as 6.1 per cent on Sunday, before extending the gain to an unprecedented US$81,497 early in the Asian day on Monday. Bullish sentiment lifted smaller coins too, including a surge in Dogecoin, a meme-crowd favourite promoted by Trump supporter Elon Musk.

Do you have questions about the biggest topics and trends from around the world? Get the answers with SCMP Knowledge, our new platform of curated content with explainers, FAQs, analyses and infographics brought to you by our award-winning team.

“With the dust from Trump’s victory still settling down, it was only a matter of time before a run-up of some sort occurred given the perception of Trump being pro-crypto, and that’s what we’re seeing now,” said Le Shi, Hong Kong managing director at market-making firm Auros.

Trump vowed on the campaign trail to put the US at the centre of the digital-asset industry, including creating a strategic bitcoin stockpile and appointing regulators enamoured with digital assets. Jubilant traders for the moment are paying little heed to questions such as the speed of likely implementation or whether a strategic stockpile is a realistic possibility.

His broader agenda of stoking domestic economic growth, tax cuts and reducing red tape has fuelled a buying spree across stocks, credit and crypto. The S&P 500 stock index last week hit its 50th record this year.

Bitcoin has added about 92 per cent so far in 2024, helped by robust demand for dedicated US exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and interest-rate cuts by the Federal Reserve. The rise in the token, which scaled fresh records after Tuesday’s US vote, exceeds the returns from investments such as stocks and gold.

The ETFs, powered by BlackRock’s $35 billion iShares Bitcoin Trust, posted a record daily net inflow of almost US$1.4 billion on Thursday, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. A day earlier, the iShares ETF’s trading volume jumped to an all-time peak – all signs of how Trump’s victory is reshaping crypto.

Trump’s stance contrasts with a crackdown on digital assets under President Joe Biden. Securities & Exchange Commission Chairman Gary Genslerrepeatedly labelled the sector as rife with fraud and misconduct. The agency turned the screws on crypto following a 2022 market rout and a litany of collapses, notably the bankruptcy of Sam Bankman-Fried’s fraudulent FTX exchange.

Digital-asset companies spent heavily during the election campaign to boost candidates viewed as favourable to their interests. Against that backdrop, Trump did an about-face, becoming a supporter of an industry he once labelled a scam.

“Trump has promised supportive regulation, and the sweep of the House and the Senate makes the passage of crypto bills much more likely,” wrote Noelle Acheson, author of the Crypto Is Macro Now newsletter.

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Philippine hotel named world’s largest chicken-shaped building by Guinness World Records

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A 15-room hotel at the Campuestohan Highland Resort in the Philippines was named the largest building in the shape of a chicken by Guinness World Records. Photo courtesy of Guinness World Records
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Philippine hotel named world’s largest chicken-shaped building by Guinness World Records

A hotel in the Philippines has been recognized by Guinness World Records as the largest chicken-shaped building in the world.

The hotel measures 12 meters in width, 28 meters in length, and stands 35 meters tall, approximately the height of a 13-story building, with each floor around 2.6 meters high, according to the Guinness World Records website.

Designed by businessman Ricardo “Cano” Gwapo Tan, the chicken-shaped building is part of Campuestohan Highland Resort, a popular tourist destination in the Philippines.

The hotel features 15 air-conditioned rooms equipped with televisions and large beds, suitable for families or groups. Additionally, it boasts a viewing deck that offers visitors a bird’s-eye view of the surrounding area, as reported by Philstar.

Room rates start at 4,500 pesos (US$77) per night.

When asked about the rooster-inspired design, Tan explained that it reflects the gamefowl industry in Negros Occidental. He added that the “calm and commanding, imposing and strong” figure of the rooster represents the local spirit, according to Guinness World Records.

Construction of the hotel began on June 10, 2023, and completed on Sept. 8 this year despite challenges of frequent storms in the area.

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